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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ground — a position
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a dance
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. board — a committee
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com